Fastener for envelops.



No. 682,159. Patented Sept. I0, I90!.

c. w. ALLEN.

FASTENER FOFLENVELCIPS.

(Application filed Kay 7, 1901.)

. (No Model.)

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CHARLES XV. ALLEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FASTENER FOR ENVELOPS.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,159, dated September 10, 1901.

Application filed May 7, 1901. Serial No. 59,090. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. ALLEN, a citizen of Great Britain, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Euvelops, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to means for protecting envelops, bags, packages, and similar devices against unauthorized opening in a simple and effective manner.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the disk 0; Fig. 2, a perspective View of an envelop provided with my improved fastener before the sealing-wax is applied; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the fastener complete; Fig. 4, a section on line 4 4, Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a perspective view of a modification of the disk; Fig. 6, a perspective view of a folded sheet provided with said modification and before the sealing-wax is applied; Fig. 7, a perspective view of the modified fastener complete; and Fig. 8, a sec tion on line 8 8, Fig. 7.

The letter a represents an envelop, package, or similar device the contents of which are to be guarded against tampering. Through the envelop is passed the usual string, wire, or tape 1), which prevents the envelop from being opened as long as the string is'intact. The free ends of this string are knotted, as at b, and are confined between an inner rigid disk or plate 0 and an outer body of sealingwax d. The disk 0 isentirely detached from the body of the envelop and is connected thereto indirectly only by means of the string. In this way the entire body of the envelop is exposed, and it is not possible to surreptitiously reach its contents by first detaching or cutting around the disk and then reattaching it. Furthermore, by grasping the disk and seal and sliding them with the string from side to side the string may be drawn through the holes of the envelop in opposite directions, and thus the formation of any concealed knot may be readily detected. The disk itself may also be readily reversed for inspection to prove that the seal has not been tampered with at the points where the string enters the wax by raising it a sufficient distance from the envelop and then turning it a half-revolution, so that the obverse of the disk will now lie upon the face of the envelop.

In use the string is stitched through the envelop and knotted, the disk 0 is placed underneath the knot,and the sealing-Wax is dropped upon the disk over the knot, so that the knot is completely covered and all the parts are intimately connected.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 the disk 0 is provided with a pair of perforations 0 and with a flange 0 The string 7) is drawn through these perforations, Fig. 6, and knotted above the disk. 'The sealingwaX is then dropped upon the disk over the knot and will be confined by the flange 0 In this modification also the disk 0 is entirely detached from the body of the envelop.

What I claim is-- 1. The combination of an envelop or similar device with a knotted string passing freely therethro ugh, a plate and sealing-wax applied to the string at opposite sides of the knot and between the perforations in the envelop through which the string is passed, whereby the string may,by means of the plate,be drawn to and fro in order to detect any cutting and rejoining of said string, and the plate be reversed to detect any tampering with the seal, substantially as specified. 1

2. The combination of an envelop or similar device with a string passing freely therethrough, a flanged plate disconnected from the envelop, and sealing-Wax for securing the plate to the string between perforations in the envelop through which the string is passed, whereby the string may,by means of the plate, be drawn to and fro in order to detect any cutting and rejoining of said string, and the plate be reversed to detect any tampering with the seal, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of an envelop or similar device with a string passing freely therethrough, a perforated and flanged plate disconnected from the envelop, and sealing-wax for securing the plate to the string between perforations in the envelop through which the string is passed, whereby the string may, by means of the plate, be drawn to and fro in order to detect any cutting and rejoining of said string, and the plate be reversed to detect any tampering with the seal, substantially as specified.

Signed by me at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 22d day of April, 1901.

' CHARLES W. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

D. F. MoCoNNELL, W. O. WERNER. 

